Chapter 88: Exposure

"...Kexin... I... I've killed Lili again..."

"You... what are you saying..." Nangong Kexin had just started to ask when she turned to see Nangong Yuchen. Instantly, her pretty face turned pale with terror, and she collapsed to the ground.

Within her line of sight, her younger brother’s originally handsome, wheat-toned face had vanished. In its place were markings resembling black veins that covered his entire face, along with a pair of crimson eyes she had never seen before.

Looking further down, she saw his blood-soaked body and the mangled, broken corpse he cradled in his arms.

"Wuu... Yuchen, wh-what on earth happened? Don’t scare me like this..." Nangong Kexin’s voice was choked with sobs. Looking at her brother, who was contorted in agony, her heart ached. Since they were young, this was the first time she had ever seen Nangong Yuchen look so broken and utterly devastated.

"...Lili is dead. She was... eaten by a demonic beast!" Nangong Yuchen choked out these words before sinking back into a deep, painful state of self-reproach.

When Nangong Kexin saw the condition of the corpse clearly, she broke into uncontrollable sobs as well. Overwhelmed by grief, she didn’t know how to comfort Nangong Yuchen. The two of them simply knelt there on the ground, immersed in the sorrow of Xia Ruli’s death.

Slowly, as the last ray of sunlight faded from the horizon, night descended.

At this moment, Ruxia City was under full alert. The army dispatched by the Tech Mecha City had surrounded Star Academy completely. Overhead, a dozen helicopters patrolled the campus. Inside the academy, squads of heavily armed soldiers were working alongside the teachers and elite students of Star Academy to hunt down the remaining demonic beasts.

"I don't want a single corner left unchecked! Even if it’s just a corpse, I want it shredded to pieces!" Yang Long, his face twisted with rage, stood in a hovering helicopter with a giant sword strapped to his back, barking orders to the troops searching below.

As the academy headmaster, his heart was filled with fury; he could not tolerate the disaster that had unfolded. Just half an hour ago, this had been the most prestigious academy in all of Ruxia City. Now, not only was the academy ruined, but the ordinary students had suffered heavy casualties. He felt he had failed his position as headmaster.

Below, Li Xiuyuan and Guan Jingyun were busy organizing the statistics of the survivors and notifying the families of the deceased.

Another half hour passed. The dozen helicopters landed on the playground, and all the students and teachers stood in rows, looking silently at the piles of remains and limbs that had been collected in front of them.

"Lehan, Chu Huiyan—they only suffered minor injuries..."

In a corner shrouded by the night, Nangong Kexin’s beautiful eyes were red and swollen, her face haggard. She spoke to Nangong Yuchen with a sorrowful expression.

"...It’s good they’re fine. What about Angel? Have you seen her?" Nangong Yuchen kept his entire body hidden in the shadows, as his current appearance was too terrifying. He could only have Nangong Kexin go and inquire about Lehan and the others.

"She said she had something to take care of this morning and left; I haven’t seen her since. Angel shouldn’t be in any trouble!" Nangong Kexin said in a low voice.

"Mm. Contact her later and go back with her; it will be safer. I’m leaving now!" Nangong Yuchen finished, turned his back, and walked toward the main gate, following the trail of the night.

"Yuchen, let me go back with you!" Nangong Kexin chased after him.

"The suburbs aren't safe. You’re better off staying with Angel!" Nangong Yuchen stopped. Even in the darkness, his face could not be seen, but his voice sounded slightly hoarse as he refused.

"Then come with me and stay at Angel’s house. Otherwise, I... I’m going back too!" Nangong Kexin stubbornly pursued him. She knew Nangong Yuchen was in great pain, and she couldn't bear to leave him alone.

"Tap, tap!" Nangong Yuchen didn't look back, quickening his pace to shake off Nangong Kexin. To his surprise, she was faster, grabbing his arm before he could pull away, refusing to let go.

"Ke... can you please stop following me?" Nangong Yuchen’s voice turned cold.

Nangong Kexin, who was never good at expressing her feelings, suddenly flared up at his cold reprimand. "No! That’s my home too! You have no right to tell me where I can go!"

"If you don't want to die, then don't follow me!" Nangong Yuchen shook off her arm, spun around abruptly, glared at her with his crimson eyes, and roared.

Nangong Kexin was startled. For all these years, no matter what she did, Nangong Yuchen had never been fierce with her. But now, she was only trying to care for him... and yet... At the thought, she felt aggrieved, and tears welled up in her eyes. "You... you... I don't care! Wherever you go, I’m going too!"

At this moment, Nangong Yuchen’s face looked even more terrifyingly savage. His hand, buried in his pocket, was still tightly clutching the two blood-soaked movie tickets. He was in agony. He didn't want to get close to anyone he held dear; he was afraid he would bring disaster upon his sister as well. If Xia Ruli’s death today was a warning, he had at least endured it, but if something like this were to happen to the person most important to him—Nangong Kexin—Nangong Yuchen didn't even dare to imagine it. He felt he would truly die of grief.

"I... I really am a jinx. Please, I’m begging you, stop following me, okay? I don't want to see you die like Lili!" Nangong Yuchen roared at Nangong Kexin once more. Although his voice and body were trembling, he had to suppress his heartache.

"Tap, tap, tap!"

Tears fell like pearls from Nangong Kexin’s eyes. She didn't bother to wipe them away; instead, with a flushed, trembling face, she shouted back indignantly: "Yes! You’re a jinx! Yes! You killed Mom and Dad! Yes! You killed Lili! Yes! I don't want to die!"

"But... but..." Her voice, which had been rising, suddenly dropped to a whisper. Her head sank, her small fists clenched tightly, and her slender frame began to heave uncontrollably.

"Then don't come any closer..." Nangong Yuchen felt a pang of distress, but more than that, he felt a sense of relief, thinking his sister had finally understood. However, before he could finish, he saw his sister rush toward him.

"Bang!" Nangong Kexin buried her head in Nangong Yuchen’s chest, hugging him tightly, and cried out loud: "Wuaa... but... I’m worried about you too! I don't want you to die either! Sob... I don't want to live at someone else's house. I just want to live with you..."

"Thump!" Nangong Yuchen’s heart tightened abruptly, and he froze.

In the dark of night, Nangong Kexin sobbed in Nangong Yuchen’s arms. After everything that had happened, she was worried, and she was afraid. Having already lost her home, Nangong Yuchen was the only one she could rely on.

Tech City.

After Lu Shijie helped Cheng Shiyu pick out her mecha equipment, he prepared to take the two girls back. After all, with what had happened at the school, no one was in the mood to keep shopping.

But just as the three of them passed by a speed-type mecha shop, they suddenly stopped. Both Lu Shijie and Cheng Shiyu had caught sight of a long red spear hanging inside through the glass window.

Mu Ningxue, who was walking beside them, hadn't even reacted when she saw the two of them rush directly into the shop.

"Old man, get up!" Cheng Shiyu’s face was grim. As soon as she entered, she shouted at the drowsy old man in her sharp voice.

Lu Shijie was even more direct. He grabbed the long red spear and stood before the old man, saying coldly, "If you don't want to die, old man, speak up: where did you get this mecha part?"

"Ha..." The old man yawned. "Young Master Li, it’s late at night. Are you here to cause trouble in my shop instead of going home?"

"Bang!" Cheng Shiyu slammed a palm onto the glass counter. With power exceeding 500kg, she shattered the entire counter instantly. She then shrieked, "I’m asking you, why is my father’s mecha in your hands!"

As soon as these words were spoken, not only did the old man wake up completely, but Mu Ningxue, who was outside the door, also looked over.

"Ch... Chen Junhao’s mecha?" The old man’s voice trembled. He knew a thing or two about Chen Junhao’s affairs, and now that trouble had suddenly landed on his head, he naturally panicked. "This has nothing to do with me! I bought it from someone else!"

"Who sold it to you?" Lu Shijie and Cheng Shiyu demanded in unison, their voices chilling.

"This..." The old man hesitated. After all, there were regulations against revealing the information of sellers when acquiring mecha parts.

"Heh, old man, I’ll give you one last chance. You should know that with my methods, I can pull up all the surveillance footage from your shop for the past six months in half an hour. If you don't want trouble to find you, I suggest you speak up quickly, otherwise..." Lu Shijie’s narrow eyes were filled with killing intent.

"Al... alright!" The old man realized the truth of the situation and sighed in resignation. "If I recall correctly, it was... Su... Nangong Yuchen!"

"Nangong Yuchen?"

Once the name was spoken, not only did Lu Shijie and Cheng Shiyu’s hearts race, but Mu Ningxue outside the door was equally stunned.

"Yes, he was a very young boy! There were also a big and a small fat guy with him at the time..." The old man confirmed after recalling the memory.

At this, Lu Shijie, Cheng Shiyu, and Mu Ningxue immediately recalled their encounter with Nangong Yuchen in Tech City over a month ago when the demonic beasts attacked the city...